NCAA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP: SECOND ROUND - LOUISVILLE VS TEXAS

March 19, 2023

Vic Schaefer

Shaylee Gonzales

DeYona Gaston

Rori Harmon

Moody Center

Texas Longhorns

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: We're joined by the University of Texas: Graduate student guard Shaylee Gonzales; junior forward Deyona Gaston; and sophomore guard Rori Harmon; along with head coach Vic Schaefer.

COACH SCHAEFER: Excited to be here ourselves. Awfully proud of this group. Again, want to congratulate East Carolina and Drake. I thought both of them were fantastic, and had great seasons. But obviously excited about our opportunity, and it's what you kind of work for all year to get to this point.

I'm sure, with our situation, there's curiosity about our team, who is available, who is not, who is tired, who is not. The answer is - March doesn't care about any of that. March doesn't care if you're undefeated. Doesn't care if you're tired. Doesn't care if you won your conference. It just doesn't matter.

And so for us, we'll be ready. We're excited to have the opportunity. We didn't get out of the arena until late last night. There's nothing we can do about it. But it's all in your approach from this minute forward.

And so I'm sure our kids will be ready to go when we work out this afternoon. Obviously, we've got a great team in Louisville. Well-coached. Got great players up and down their lineup. And it's a team we've seen. Saw them, seems like, seasons ago.

A lot has happened with us especially since then. But we'll see a team that played for the ACC championship. They have been in every game that they've played this season. And so we'll have to be on a quick turnaround, one-day prep. Have to be really ready for a great ball club. So again proud of my team. I thought we played with a lot of energy last night. I told them today in film, I was really proud of our effort. I thought we played hard. And that's all I care about.

At the end of the day, we'll just play hard. Coaches are going to be pretty happy. And they will be too because usually the outcome is in our favor when we play really hard. So that will be our challenge going forward, just to make sure we give it everything we have and leave it on the floor.

It's funny, one of my assistants said they were talking to someone and said that our kids looked like they were energized last night and fresh. And they might have looked that way, but you're comparing it to the third game in three days. That was the last time you saw them. And it's such an unfair comparison when you're talking about the third game in three days against a Top 25 versus last night when we obviously had a chance to get our legs under us earlier in the week.

I do think they looked good. I thought they played with a lot of energy. I thought they looked fresh. But that's the way you're supposed to look when you've had an opportunity to kind of regroup and you play with a little bit of something to prove. And so hopefully this group will continue to do that.

Q. Rori, obviously you had to sit out the first matchup. I'm wondering what you observed from the sideline, what you can remember from that trip to the Bahamas from your perspective?

RORI HARMON: That was a long time ago. But like you said, to be on the sideline is a completely different perspective than actually playing the basketball game. We've obviously improved a lot since that game. And if we just stick with what worked and we got better at what didn't work and just keep them off the boards, I think we'll be very pleased with ourselves.

Q. Deyona, what problems do they present inside and how much fun was that last night to dominate the boards like you guys did?

DEYONA GASTON: Coach told us to make sure we're playing aggressive and we have to make sure because they were also on the boards as well as we were. So we have to make sure that we box this team out because they also will get on the boards just as much as we will and they're also aggressive as well. So we just need to make sure that we're ready for that.

Q. Shaylee, were you able to watch Louisville at all last night? If so, did you see anything in person that you may not have seen on film or since the last time you all saw them?

SHAYLEE GONZALES: I feel like obviously they're the same team. We've played them before so we know what we've got to do to win. We just gotta watch their guards. They have some guards that can shoot the ball, jump shots, and then we just have to box out and make sure that we're focused and just ready for the game.

Q. Rori, what did you think of the way Amina and Djak played in their first tournament game last night?

RORI HARMON: They did great. I'm happy for them to make it to the NCAA Tournament for their first year. It's great. It's a great experience.

I was in their position last year and just making sure they're ready and that they don't have any nerves because I understand the feeling, but they did good and they handled it very well.

Q. Rori, after watching them play last night, I'd like you to maybe size up their two guards. I feel like there are a few players who can match your quickness, but they seem to be a pretty physical duo, what kind of challenges that does bring just from trip to trip, back and forth?

RORI HARMON: I mean, the person is going to be more aggressive is going to win the basketball game at this point. Whoever wants it more. Like I've said in interviews before, no one is going to play harder than me. But they do have some great guards, and it's going to be a good competition.

Q. Shaylee, I'd ask you about the difference in having Rori back in the lineup for this particular matchup after playing Louisville earlier in the season, and that matchup I was talking about, the physical nature of their two guards?

SHAYLEE GONZALES: Obviously that first game we played against them, we were all new. We never really played with each other. We didn't have the gel that we have now. And obviously having Rori back is a huge part of our team. Obviously super glad that she's back because I was super stressed just thrown into that position. But just glad to have her back.

Q. Deyona, I can't remember whether you traveled with the team or not in '21, but from your freshman year to last year what have you learned about the tournament and just kind of what this time of the year is about?

DEYONA GASTON: I've learned that you can't take anybody lightly. Everybody's going to come with their best game, and we have to know who we're playing against. We have to make sure that we're ready for anybody because it could be anybody's game. So we just have to make sure that we're ready for any team that comes up.

Q. Rori, Coach Schafer kind of talked about how you got off the court late last night. I know you probably went to sleep late last night. How does that affect the routine, the everyday things to get ready for the next game with this quick turnaround?

RORI HARMON: I don't think I went to sleep until 1:30, which is probably the earliest compared to the rest of the team. We played late. I mean, it's really not an excuse for these next games because like the next game could be your last game. So can't really make any more excuses. You just have to be ready when we hit the floor and we have to practice well and prepare well with the limited time we have and just be ready for Monday.

Q. I'm wondering, size up, how physical you think this game could be? Is this one of those grinding sorts of games, I know they were back and forth with their opponent the first game. I wonder how much you have to be ready for one of those games where you're smashing into each other trip after trip down the court, or is there more to it than that?

RORI HARMON: It's definitely going to be very physical. Both teams have that aggression in them. And that's the part of their culture. That's how we both play. And so we just have to be physically ready as well as mentally. But physically it's going to play a big part in this game. The more physical competitor will probably end up winning.

Q. Can you just size up the matchup you have with the backcourt, the way Van Lith really took over there in the fourth quarter; they seem to have a toughness about them that you have to deal with?

COACH SCHAEFER: For sure. I just think you win with guard play. I've always said that. And tomorrow night will be no different. I think guard play is going to be key. It was key the first matchup that we played them. Shaylee had to be our point guard back then. So at least tomorrow night she'll be able to play her natural position. And that makes us different, obviously.

But going back and looking at the film, it was a very competitive game. Five minutes to go, it was a two-point game, I think. So we played really well.

And so again I think, as I've said all year long, Jim, you win with guard play. And tomorrow night it will be no different. And they're really talented, veterans, older kids. And he's changed up his lineup a little bit in his last 10, he's gone with a different lineup. 8-2 with the last 10 with a different starting lineup. He's obviously found something he likes and is very comfortable with.

Q. As you mentioned, with the film, how much can you rely on that film knowing that this is not the same Texas team and it's not the same Louisville team as well?

COACH SCHAEFER: I think it's a great question. When I go back and look at that film, the takeaways I take from it are more what their personality was then because they basically have the same team. And how they hurt us. We still have all those players that are still playing a lot of minutes for us; they're just in different roles. I think you can take what you want from it. It was really a good teaching film this morning to show some things.

And I think our players were very attentive and took notes, as we always do in film. When I start watching more recent films, you take different things from that versus something that happened back in November. When I go scouting a team, I probably don't watch a whole lot of their games in November. But I do watch a lot, more recent. Well, I watched that one just because we were involved in it, and we still run some of the same stuff, right? He does too.

I'm sure he's taken stuff from there that we had a hard time with, and he'll incorporate that into his game plan just like we will ours.

Q. You and Jeff have won with different styles. They were in a track meet last night. You guys basically beat down your opponent. What about last night makes you confident that in case this is a football game tomorrow, which it could be, makes you confident that you guys will be ready for that?

COACH SCHAEFER: I think our team has been involved in lots of different types of games throughout the course of the season. So I think we're capable of playing whatever game needs to be played. I think if it's a physical game, we just came out of one of those in the Big 12 Tournament. And we watched that film, as I shared with you all, and we've learned from that, I think, hopefully. At the same time, I think we got out and that's why people think we looked so fresh last night is because we got out in transition and ran.

And so I think we need to do that. They're really good at that. And we'll have to be cognizant of our turnovers because they can turn those into layups in a hurry. And that's something that we've got to really be paying attention to and cognizant of because, just like us, you turn the ball over at the free-throw line with us, good chance we're going to lay it in on you. The same thing with them.

I think both of us will put a premium on taking care of the ball, and at the same time, again, we've dealt with this all year. Seems like we have the tallest team. We know we have the tallest team in the Big 12. We have the biggest team. So what happens a lot for us is that we're athletic. We block shots. We're long. We deflect. And so that's okay. But then the tradeoff is on the other end, we sometimes get bullied and shoved and pushed by smaller people and that seems to be okay. It's not the way it's supposed to be.

But we've had to deal with it all year long. So I think the challenge for us is we've got to toughen up and be able to play whatever the game dictates tomorrow night.

Q. You mentioned obviously Louisville changed their lineup. I guess it was about a month ago, the last 10 games. But for you, from November until now where do you see the biggest areas of improvement or change in Louisville's team?

COACH SCHAEFER: I think, obviously, when you play together, they added some graduate players as well. And then I just think, just like with any staff, your coaches develop players and players are different today in March than they were back in November, from a skill set to an identity of a team and how you want to score, how you want to defend. And so I think just like with my team, I think we're much improved since back in November.

Defensively, we're much better. We're much more cohesive. And I think certainly for Louisville, they've improved in a number of areas. And their guard play just really sticks out. But you better not take for granted those bigs inside because those kids really play well. Their freshmen have really been developed. They're coming on. And they just play really hard, which I think both Jeff and I want our kids to play really hard.

That's the first thing that jumped at me last night, the first five minutes of their game, I thought both Drake and Louisville just came out playing extremely hard. And that's why they had the knock-down, drag-out they had, two really good teams, but both teams just doing what they do.

And so we'll have to match that. And that's the challenge that we have as coaches is to make sure that our kids are ready to go. And some things you can't control, but playing hard, that should be a given. And I think both of us expect that from our kids.

Q. I think you were sitting courtside there a little bit in the first game scouting that. I'm curious, as a coach, the ability to watch a game up close like that, do you pick up different things than you can from just a game film? Little nuances, how players react? Take me through that a little bit.

COACH SCHAEFER: So you remember in the old days they used to let us as coaches scout one game in person. If there was a team on our schedule, you got to scout, in person, one time.

And so early in my career I learned early on, you're not down there drawing up plays that somebody's running. You'll get that on film. You can't tell quickness and speed on film. When you get down there and watch it in person, that's when you can tell quickness and speed.

You watch these coordinators, in football season, offensive coordinator is walking down there looking at the defense; defensive is walking down, watching offense going through their stuff. They're not watching the plays, they're going through, dummy, they're watching for quickness and speed because you can't see that unless you see it in person.

So those are the things that I look for. You might get an offensive call or out-of-bounds play from the sideline and mark it, write down the time, you'll go back.

But for me, when I'm courtside, I'm paying attention to quickness. I'm paying attention to speed. Those are things that I really pick up a lot on and really paying attention to, as well as the other stuff. I'm writing it down. We're going back and checking it on film. And, hey, get that set at 6:47. Make sure I get that, see it like I just saw it. We'll do that.

But that for me, you have to be in person to really see how fast and how quick somebody is.

Q. I saw Jeff (Louisville head coach Jeff Walz) came by practice earlier this week on Friday. You all talked, had a nice moment, and what's your relationship like, how has it been over the years?

COACH SCHAEFER: Jeff and I have known each other a long time. And we'll call each other during the season every now and then, we're both real busy, just to check-in. He's one of several coaches that I try to check on during the course of a season. But we have a pretty good relationship. And he's got kids and a family. And as I do. Mine are a little older. But we do have a good relationship.

And I've known him a long time. We've run into each other before. We played in the Final Four against each other in '18, I believe, and then had to play each other this year in the Bahamas. He's somebody, obviously, that I've known a long time.

Q. And Rori talked about going to sleep at 1:30 a.m. that's kind of the earliest out of the team, does that worry you at all for this next game coming up, trying to prepare, whatnot?

COACH SCHAEFER: I've got too many other things to worry about. One thing I know about young people, they're going to find time to get a nap in. I've had some teams that are first-team All-American nappers.

So I think they'll find time. We'll get in and get out today, and they'll have some time before we go to dinner tonight. And so they'll get some good rest. You know what worries me more than anything is you've got all these kids, they've got family in. Family wants to see their kids.

And you just want them to go, hey, I know you're here to see your daughter, but maybe you can see her in about three weeks. And yet, probably can't say that. But I get it. I'm a dad. I get it. But there's some big fish to fry right now. We kind of need to focus on that and we'll get back to the other part later. But you have to be careful, you know how that is.

Q. Rain or shine, this season Rori has been on your right at these press conferences. Aside from being your point guard, why is she the perfect spokesperson for this team?

COACH SCHAEFER: I think your point guard has to wear the responsibility when you win or lose. It just comes with the job. There's been a time or two she didn't really want to be in here. But you know what, it's like I told you all before, you've got to give God glory in the victories, gotta give him glory in defeats. Same thing is true with your point guard and quarterback. You've got to learn to be accountable and answer in both the good times and the rough times. And so that's part of her maturity.

For me, that's part of me helping her mature and grow and be accountable. And that's just how I've always been. I think Coach Blair did it when I worked for him for 15 years. He took Christy Smith with him four years at Arkansas. Sydney Carter has been in there a ton. It's it just kind of goes with the job.

So that's my way of letting her know, hey, we're responsible, both of us, we're in this together. And I'm going to have your back in the good and the bad. I know she'll have mine in the good and bad, too.

Q. First couple of weeks here, I don't remember, you guys won a game and you showed up at the presser and you were looking around. You go, "Where's my point guard? I need my point guard up here." Did she know that that was going to be on her shoulders to speak a lot after these games as the leader on the court?

COACH SCHAEFER: Probably not. I mean, no freshman really understands that until they get here. They don't even know what this is all about until they've been up here a few times.

Deyona is getting more and more comfortable. She's been a quiet voice when she's been up here the first couple of times. But she's got an unbelievable personality. You'd have no idea sometimes watching her in here she's the quiet soft-spoken person in here. But she's not outside that door.

I just think that it's part of when you come to college, you play at a place like Texas and you have these press conferences and you have the media that's interested in your sport. You need to learn to get comfortable. And you know what, that's what separates these kids in my mind, when they go get a job. You know? These kids have been up here in front of you guys, peppered with questions, been on a camera.

There's not many people that put that degree down that have had that same experience and can handle that and talk in front of people. And so I think it's a real blessing. And I'm very appreciative of y'all being here, night in, night out and taking an interest in our kids.

Q. How much did you sleep last night? Did you go home or did you just stay here?

COACH SCHAEFER: I stayed here. I got in my chair at 3:30 in my office. I'm talking about the chair I sleep in. And I got up at 7 and actually went to church. And just like in coaching, things come up during a game. You've got to adjust. Somebody gets in foul trouble. Shay got in foul trouble last night. You've got to adjust. Not really planning on that. But it happens. In church this morning, we had a glitch in the Internet. Where I go to church, there's five of them. The main church is downtown that's where the guy preaches from. They bring a screen down and that's who -- looks like he's right there but he's really not he's downtown. We had a glitch in the Internet. And so about ten seconds into his sermon, it went dead.

So they had to bring up somebody from our congregation to preach this morning. So that was a big deal having to preach by the seat of their pants, so to speak. And so those things happen, but it was a real short night. As I told my wife this morning -- she said did you get a lot done? I went, I got nothing done; I don't feel I got anything done from the time the game was over until -- I couldn't keep my eyes open. It will be a long day today. But it's just that time of year. It's what we do. It's what I do.

Q. Why didn't you just get up there and preach?

COACH SCHAEFER: I was ready, Danny. I really was. I've done that before and talked about my son's whole experience and I was on call. I was on the edge of my seat, somebody come get me. I'm ready. I've told you all, my mother had a hard time having me. There's 14 and a half years apart between my older sister and me.

She used to tell me all the time, I just told the good Lord if he would just give me a son, I'd do everything I could to make sure he becomes a Lutheran minister. Well, I've fallen short, obviously. But I've had the opportunity to share that story about my son. That's been really special. I was ready. I don't think they know that I'm capable in that church. I'm still new to the congregation.

They might be looking for me in July. They might not find me. I might be in the water somewhere.

Q. You heard Rori just speak about how the freshmen played last night. How proud are you of their performance, the confidence you build. And follow-up about sleeping here last night. No Whataburger for you this time around? I know you're a Whataburger guy.

COACH SCHAEFER: Last night -- I only eat during the day. And I had gotten a really good run in. About 2:00, after dinner they were eating downstairs in the nutrition room. I thought surely there's food left. I go down. It's all cleaned up. There's nothing. I look in the refrigerator. There's three metal containers. So I pull out the metal containers, and one of them had wings in it.

Well, now I'm sitting here thinking, okay, are these our wings? Have they been left in there five, six, seven days? Because the men left a week ago. And I don't remember us eating in there. And I sure don't remember us eating wings. But I'm really hungry. So I ate those wings. And I'm still alive. So that was at 2 in the morning that I had that.

As far as the freshmen, they played 30 minutes last night between the two of them. And really pleased with both of them. I told them both this morning. Amina, she's going to be so good, she and Djak are going to be so good for us. I thought she played extremely hard. And Djak gave us some good minutes. She continues -- you talk about a kid now that works. Like that kid wears out my practice gym. It's just so encouraging because she cares.

Sometimes these kids, especially as freshmen, if they're not getting as many minutes as they want, at some point it will just wear on them and they go the heck with it and they kind of give up a little bit, if you let them. We're never going to let them.

Djak, she's constantly in our gym, constantly getting a coach, constantly working. That's what I love about her. That's why she's going to be great. But both of them played 30 minutes total between the two of them. I thought they both gave us some really good minutes and were really functional. And good to get those jitters out because tomorrow night I think we'll have a good crowd again and obviously it's the NCAA Tournament. And so I was really encouraged by their performance last night and again happy for them.

I thought Amina, she took one rip and a dribble and a layup from the free-throw line last night. Made a great move. Those are things that I've got it on practice today, triangle passing. It's a drill we start practice with for six minutes and it's something in that drill that she's incorporated into her game. And so happy for those kids. Again, those kids work extremely hard. And proud of both of those kids. Those are two great, great young ladies that are going to be great for us in the future.